Try these Warzone loadouts to get you out of trouble

Hunting for the best Warzone loadout? You may have noticed other players tearing through CoD: Warzone matches with tricked-out assault rifles and powerful perks at their disposal. “Hacks!” you may cry, mashing your keyboard in anger. But as they say, if you can't beat them, join them.

Loadouts let you choose primary and secondary weapons, perks, and other equipment. While Warzone's loadout structure is similar to Multiplayer, acquiring them is actually very different. Loadouts take the form of an in-game care package that you buy with cash. It's enough to turn the tide of a match, providing you choose wisely. So, here’s an introduction to the Warzone loadout system, with some pointers about what gear to add to your personal arsenal.

What’s the difference between Multiplayer and Warzone loadouts?

Loadouts are a feature in Call of Duty's Multiplayer mode where you can choose primary and secondary weapons, perks and grenades in the menus before a match. Once you have the hefty $10k asking price, you can pick from a series of loadouts in-game to be parachuted to your desired spot on the map.

In Warzone, it’s a little different than to Multiplayer. First, killstreaks don’t have any bearing, as Warzone has its own. And naturally, they’re not available every time you die, since this is a battle royale. Beyond that, they function in the same way, and retrieving one is like stepping into an old pair of shoes.

Head to the Warzone main menu, then Tab to the ‘Weapons’ menu. From here you can tap ‘Edit Loadout' to access your ten custom loadout slots. When you're doing that, here are some things to think about. What guns did you like using in previous matches? What equipment did you find most useful? What perks do you feel gave your enemies an advantage? These are questions you can answer with an in-game loadout.

You will level up while playing Warzone, but it's possible that other players who've been hammering Multiplayer for some time already may have an advantage over newbies. This is because they will likely already have access to every weapon in the game, some of them better than the starting arsenal. This extends to perks, field upgrades and grenades, so keep your wits about when it comes to your boots touching the ground.

How to get loadouts in Warzone

Designing your loadout is only half the battle: Now you must retrieve it in-game. When you land in Verdansk, check the map and look out for Warzone’s ‘Buy Stations’, little electronic cases where you can buy essential items and killstreaks. Navigate there after you've scavenged some money and stay vigilant: Other tricksy teams love to camp in the vicinity.

At the buy station you should see the 'Loadout Drop Marker' option at the bottom of the list for $10,000. It's expensive, so keep an eye out for Scavenger contracts that task you with searching specific areas for loot. They're marked by magnifying glass icons on the map. Once you’ve grabbed the marker, throw it like a care package in a secure location. Once it’s down, walk over, interact with the crate, and pick which of your loadouts you want.

Useful tip: The Overkill perk sounds insanely useful at first (pack two primary weapons in one loadout), but if you want the benefit of two main weapons with an extra red perk, just save up and drop two loadout markers and you won’t need to use Overkill at all.

Reduced mobility makes it harder to escape sticky situations with this build, but if your aim is reliable the tradeoff is worthwhile. Longer range firefights are winnable, providing that your reflexes are up to scratch. Use your Semtex and Snapshot Grenade to deal extra damage and finish off opponents swiftly.

Tune Up is a valuable perk for supporting your squad, reducing revive time by 25 percent. Overkill is essential for rounding off your setup with a powerful secondary. Having an SMG like the MP5 or MP7 will see you through to the late game. E.O.D stops you from taking unnecessary explosive and fire damage throughout the match.

(Image credit: Infinity Ward)

M13

Attachments

Muzzle: Monolithic Suppressor

Barrel: Tempus Marksman

Optic: Corp Combat Holo Sight

Underbarrel: Merc Foregrip

Ammunition: 50 Round Mags/60 Round Mags

Secondary

Handgun

Perks

Cold-blooded

Ghost

Amped

Throwables

Lethal: C4

Tactical: Smoke Grenade

The M13 is a respectable alternative to the M4A1 so consider this loadout if you're interested in trying a new automatic assault rifle. With low recoil and a high fire rate, adjusting to this weapon won't take long. I'd advise equipping a suppressor to keep this build as quiet as possible, and the Merc Foregrip boosts your accuracy and lowers recoil even further. It's worth experimenting with various optics to find the perfect fit for you, but the Corp Combat Holo Sight is a good place to start if you're unsure.

To make the most of your perks, equip a handgun as your secondary and swap it for a weapon on the floor after acquiring your loadout drop. Cold-blooded keeps you safe from other players using thermal optics and ensures that you're undetectable by AI targeting systems. Ghost furthers extends your stealthy approach by helping you to avoid compromising your position when enemies use UAVs, Radar Drones and Heartbeat Sensors. Amped facilitates faster weapon swapping.

You can rely on your Smoke Grenade to help you escape sticky situations and outplay enemies. C4 completes this setup to help you top up your damage with a remote explosive.

(Image credit: Infinity Ward)

MP7

Attachments

Barrel: FSS Recon

Stock: FORGE TAC Ultralight

Underbarrel: Tactical Foregrip

Ammunition: 50 Rounds Mag

Rear Grip: Stippled Grip Tape

Secondary

AX-50

Perks

Cold-blooded

Overkill

Amped

Throwables

Lethal: Frag Grenade

Tactical: Flash Grenade

Pairing the AX-50 with an MP7 affords you the luxury of landing long distance eliminations and snappy close combat frags. The MP7's popularity over the last couple of months is well earned.

Equip the FSS Recon barrel for smooth shooting and the Tactical Foregrip for stability. Opting for Stippled Grip Tape boosts sprint-to-fire and aim-down-sights speeds which gives this setup a responsive and agile feel. MP7s tend to tear through your ammo reserves as a result of their high rate of fire. Shred through enemies with the 50 Rounds Mag and watch your kill counter soar.

A Frag and Flash Grenade are simple yet effective throwables. The Overkill perk makes this setup possible by allowing you to carry two primary weapons, whereas Amped is essential for swapping between weapons quickly. Verdansk awaits and you have all the tools to be a cold-blooded killer with this build.

(Image credit: Infinity Ward)

HDR

Attachments

Muzzle: Monolithic Suppressor

Barrel: 26.9” HDR Pro

Stock: FTAC Champion

Optic: Thermal Sniper Scope/Thermal Dual Power Scope

Ammunition: 7 Round Mags/9 Round Mags

Secondary

Handgun

Perks

E.O.D

High Alert

Tracker

Throwables

Lethal: Semtex

Tactical: Flash Grenade

Our final build features a bolt action sniper rifle that specialises in landing long-range shots. The HDR beats the AX-50 in both range and accuracy, making it more forgiving to use. Attach a thermal optic such as the Thermal Sniper Scope, or Thermal Dual Power Scope to make it easier to hunt down targets from afar. Equipping a suppressor is a smart move as it makes it trickier for your opponents to locate you. The Monolithic Suppressor is a popular muzzle attachment as it also increases damage range.

This setup utilises perks that complement your weapon loadout. Reduce the damage you take from fire and explosives with the E.O.D perk. High Alert has your vision pulse when enemies outside your view spot you, so you can commit to scoping with the HDR without feeling anxious about someone catching you off guard. For nearby opponents, your Tracker perk helps you to hunt them down.

Equip a Semtex and Flash Grenade as your throwables, and remember that you can drop your handgun for a better secondary at any time.